Letters from District 12
by KennyEchelon
Summary: In which Peeta is told to write letters to those lost to the rebellion to ease the guilt and sadness he feels after their deaths. Set post-Mockingjay. Spoilers.
1. Finnick

Finnick,

I know it's been a while since my last letter; I've been a bit preoccupied with the wedding. I told you about that, didn't I? Katniss finally said yes to marrying me. I couldn't believe my luck but it looks like I wore her down. Her mom wasn't too keen on me to start with but it seems as if she's warming to me. She kind of has to now, seeing as I'm her son-in-law.

The actual day was rather eventful. The slightest little thing had the potential to set off the hijacking. I'm a lot better than I was, but they'd shown me a lot of the wedding dress footage when they were torturing me so being faced with all of the dresses and things was a bit of a nightmare. Still, I did have to be held back by my best man when I saw her walking down the aisle. I mean I did control the majority of it but I was slightly unprepared.

I wanted you to be there, you would've been my best man. You saved my life more than once and I'll never be able to thank you enough. Knowing you, you'd have made all of the District 12 attendees swoon if you were there! But you'd just take Annie by the hand and ignore the others. She was a bridesmaid, by the way. Her and Johanna walked Katniss down the aisle. Obviously Katniss' father wasn't there to give her away so her mom did it instead. She left the maid of honor role empty; no-one else could do it apart from Prim. Katniss kept the dress simple, because she was fed up with the Capitol's styles but the colour scheme was reds and oranges in homage to Cinna's pyromania. She refused to have roses in her bouquet as well. You know what she's like with them. I actually couldn't believe how phenomenal she looked.

I wish you could've seen Annie though. They dressed her up and put flowers in her hair. Obviously she wasn't as beautiful as your wedding day, but _you'd_ think she was the most breathtaking girl in the room.

She's doing well after the birth of your son. He looks just like a miniature version of you. He flaps his feet whenever she gives him a bath so it looks like he'll be a natural swimmer like his dad. He's almost a toddler now so she'll start teaching him how to swim properly soon. We didn't quite trust him with the ring-bearer's job. He's a bit too young to co-ordinate carrying something that small. All the women were fawning over his cuteness though. I swear he's going to turn out just like you!

Instead of going away for our honeymoon, we decided to stay behind in the District, but order everyone to leave us alone. It wasn't really a custom to leave the District yet anyway. The alone time was nice after being followed by the Capitol for so long and I finally got to show her my breadstick, if you know what I mean.

Maybe soon I'll be a father just like you. I actually can't wait to put a bun in her oven, but knowing Katniss she'll put up a fight. She definitely isn't the maternal type. For now I'll settle with helping Annie with _your_ offspring. You'd be proud of him, you really would. It's a bit hard to chase after him with my fake leg though! He's really fast, but don't tell him I said that. I can just tell he's going to have the legendary Odair ego already so I don't want to encourage him.

I wanted everyone to be there, especially you and my family. It was especially hard not seeing my parents and siblings there but given how many lives were lost to that rebellion I've grown used to not having people around. I write letters to them too. I've been told it helps with feeling lonely. Gale wasn't there either, but I don't blame him. If _he_ was the one marrying Katniss it would hurt too much for me to turn up so I totally understand. I think Katniss was rather upset though; they _were_ best friends.

Although it's great to be free of the Games, I just… I just miss you. You became my best friend because of that ordeal even though I know you probably hated me when I was captured. I would have done too. It's not fair that you were taken from us. You deserve this freedom. You went through just as much as we did, if not more. After what the Capitol put you through, you should be here with your wife and son. Annie misses you so much and we're teaching Finnick Jr. all about you, but obviously not the bad stuff yet.

We all miss you,

Peeta.


	2. Mrs Mellark

_**Author's Note:**__ This one's rather short but I hope you like it anyway. Enjoy! ~ __**KennyEchelon**_

Mom,

I don't know how to start this. We were never _that_ close and I understand it's a bit too late to start now but I want you to know how sorry I am. I'm sorry that I was a pathetic excuse for a son. I'm sorry I occasionally let the bread burn. I'm sorry I accidentally screwed up the frosting for that cake the Mayor ordered one time and we had to start again. I'm sorry I wasn't as competent as my brothers.

I'm sorry that my name got picked on Reaping Day. I'm sorry this had to happen. I never _wanted_ to be in the Hunger Games. No one did, obviously, but I wanted to be there for the family. There would've been very little chance of that if my head was beaten in or something.

I'm sorry I let Katniss share the berries. I'm sorry I let myself get so seduced by her that I was willing for us both to die. I should've died. I should've let myself get killed. Everything would have been much simpler. Snow wouldn't have chased after us and decimated the District. If I'd died, you and dad and the others would still be alive.

I would try to describe how guilty I feel but words just don't do it justice. I can't tell you how _much_ I wish it was me instead of you. Even after resenting you for always reprimanding me, I still love you because you're my mom and nothing changes that.

Walking through the ruins of 12, it actually broke my heart. If I hadn't hated President Snow before, I certainly did then, but the hijacking from the tracker jacker venom turned these negative thoughts towards Katniss. I nearly killed her. She nearly died because I felt guilty and angry and upset and the only person the venom let me take it out on was her. They twisted my emotions until I almost killed the girl I love.

I couldn't recognise the feelings of grief because they'd been buried so deep and mutated until I doubted myself and everyone else. That's why I didn't write sooner, because I was still confused, not knowing whether your deaths were real or just a figment of the Capitol's imagination. After the rebellion had cleared Katniss helped me piece things together. As far as I remember, you like her right? At least… you said that she was more likely to survive than me.

I will marry that girl, mom. I will. I just wish that you would be there with the others.

I wish you were here,

Peeta


End file.
